I know this topic has been discussed (and cussed), and I did a search through the old topics about steeing head bearing replacement, but didn't actually find where anyone had replaced the steering head bearings. I am wanting to (a) do this job myself if I don't need any specialized tools and (B) replace the OEMs with the tapered type roller bearings. I have recently developed a front end noise that sounds like the steering head bearings "clicking" when the bike is ridden. In fact, if I am just sitting still and grab the front brake lever (so that the bike cannot roll), I can slightly compress the front forks or kind of move the bike from side to side and I hear the clicking sound. I am going to jack up the front end and see if there is some movement in the steering head area, because I really don't think that the sound is coming from the front forks.

Vern, i believe a couple people did it already. I believe Northman was one of them. I think i may put the tapered bearings in this winter. Do you have part numbers and a place where you ordered yours?????

I replaced mine on my ST1100 (I know it's not our Blackbird) but you may want to give CBR bearing Co a shot. I have found them to be very good to work with, knowledgeable, and gave great advice on installing.

They are at www.cbrbearing.com

The prices were very reasonable too...

Steve Lowery

i've got the bearings, but have yet to have the dealer do them.... was kinda waiting for that magic 30k mark, dunno why...

hey, if you find it kinda easy, sure do share the experience :grin:

I did email cbrbearing.com and got an very quick response (like 4hrs). They are temporarily out of stock, but I am on a back-order list for when the new ones come in. The kit includes both bearings, races, bottom dust seal and a price of $54. When I get the kit and get it put in, I'll let you all know how hard or easy it was.

I've replaced mine on the XX. Getting the races out were the toughest part. You should find yourself a race removing tool.

Mike, did you put the tapered bearings in and did it get rid of any decelleration wobble?

I'm still planning to do mine over the winter. I have a slight notch straight ahead and a wobble with hands off bars at 45mph. It's not terminal though, it wobbles slightly without getting worse. On my Sabre I had one that if you didn't grab the bars again it would keep getting worse till it was almost lock to lock.

I put the tappered ones in. I don't notice a decelleration wobble, so maybe it cured it, or I just didn't notice it to begin with :]

Hammer and long punch should work, shouldn't it? I haven't torn the XX head apart but in the old days it worked.

Hey Randy, did you host the NEXXT '02 pics in photoisland last year??


Was it something like BDAZZ and XX???

Weld (arc) a bead around 2/3 of the face of the race... when it cools it shrinks, and pops out alot easier. 'Haven't done it on a 'Bird yet, but used to do it a lot on other bikes.. older HDs, for example, use huge neck races (bearing cups) with a slight interference fit - that's the reason the 64 oz sledge hammer became known as the "Harley Persuasion Tool"... :wink:

Wouldn't a slid hammer work?

Don we had some pics posted in a album I started for everyone but I'll be damned if I remember the password and login. Lemme check it out.


Ok its www.photoisland.com
login=cbrxx
password=xx

Some NeXXt pics are in there along with a bunch of other photos.

I replaced mine last winter with a set of "All Balls" tapered roller bearings.

The first set I got were wrong, and I ordered the second set from Parts411 that were delivered within a week.

I used a long punch and hammer to remove the races in the head, but the lower race on the triple was removed with a bearing clamp and press at work.

I didn't buy the stem socket, but set the preload up with a hammer and screwdriver.

My old bearings were only finger tight, BTW.

Steering head wobble is totally gone, even running a tire that's 11K old.

It's pretty easy to do, Vern, but I did it when I had the bike torn all apart over the winter. You will have to totally remove the front suspension, as I'm sure you already know.

Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

Thanks for the info. I did have the front suspension off last winter when I put the RaceTech spring in the forks, so that should be no problem. My biggest concern was whether or not I was going to have to purchase some "specialty" tools to do the job. Apparently that is not the case if I can use a hammer and long punch to knock out the bearing races. I'm still not sure where the "knocking" sound is coming from, but as soon as I get the time to get the front end up off the ground, I should be able to isolate it....hopefully not the forks that I worked on last winter.

My mecanic did it for me, he used some special tools, but maybe...

The steering is like new now, very easy!

Yah, but the races don't have a lip like they did in the old days, now there is just a ditch kinda thing. You have enough room to put something in that'll catch the edge, but if you look down the steering head, you won't see the lip...if you know what I mean.

Yep, that's what I used. Slide hammer with three backwork hooks to grab the race. Pretty cool.

Update on front end noise. I had a chance to put the front end up on a jack and the centerstand this morning. After I got the front end up, there was absolutely NO play in the steering head bearings! I started looking for the source of the "clicking" noise and found that the piece that makes the left caliper rotate a little bit (to operate the secondary master cylinder)
was the source of the click. It is a short metal rod that slips into a rubber piece. After taking the left caliper completely apart and inspecting the rubber and the metal rod, I could see nothing that looks worn or needing replacement. I put it back together and am going for a test ride this afternoon. Sheesh, maybe it was there before and I didn't notice it, but I'm kind of stumped on this one.